Slushing system



March 1, 1955 J. L. BOYEN SLUSHING SYSTEM Filed June2. 1952 TO 5 OURC E 4 INVENTOR. JOHN 1.. a0 rs/v H/S Arron/vars United States Patent swsnnvc SYSTEM John L. Boyen, Orinda, Calif assignor to Currier Company, a corporation of California Application June 2, 1952, Serial No. 291,348

2 Claims. (Cl. 134l72) My invention relates to degreaser equipment, and more particularly to a slushing system therefor.

The degreaser equipment to which the present invention relates, utilizes a highly volatile solvent such as trichlorethylene, which "is vaporized and the items to be cleaned are immersed in the vapor which condenses thereon and dissolves the oil or grease from the 1tem. Following such vapor treatment, it is the practice in many instances, to slush the item with liquid solvent to remove grit or dirt which was unaffected by the vapor treatment. Such slushing was conventionally accomplished by pumping the solvent with an impeller or other suitable type pump.

Trichlorethylene is quite difficult to retain in an enclosed space involving seams, in that it readily leaks through what might otherwise be deemed a watertight seam or joint. Consequently, in slushing systems utilizing pumps for driving the solvent through the slushing line, pump gaskets and other seals were not always a guarantee against leakage of the solvent.

Among the objects of the present invention are:

(1) To provide a novel and improved slushing system for degreaser equipment;

(2) To provide a novel and improved slushing system for degreaser equipment which eliminates the direct handling of a solvent by pumps;

(3) To provide a novel and improved slushing system which shall be simple, effective and economical.

Additional objectsof my invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein- Figure l is a fragmentary side elevational view of apparatus including the improved slushing system of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the slushing system of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings for details of my invention in its preferred form, the degreaser equipment in which the same is embodied, 'comprises a tank 1 which is divided off by a vertical partition 3 to form on one side, a vapor chamber 5 in which liquid solvent is vaporized to produce a vapor region into which items to be cleaned are immersed.

On the other side of this partition, the tank section is divided by a horizontal partition 7 to form a solvent storage chamber 9 above, having a discharge pipe connection 11 to the vapor chamber, under control of a valve 13 connected in such pipe connection.

Surrounding the tank toward the upper end thereof, is a vapor condenser 15, which serves to condense the vapor at that elevation to preclude the same from escaping through the upper end of the tank, which normally remains open for the insertion and removal of such items as are to be cleaned. The condensate resulting from the operation of the condenser, is drained into the solvent storage chamber for reuse. The aforementioned equipment is basically old and not a part of the improvement constituting the subject of the present invention, except insofar as novel cooperation exists.

The improved slushing system, illustrated in conjunction with the previously described equipment, involves a slush tank 17 mounted on brackets beneath the horizontal partition. Such tank constitutes the source of liquid solvent for use in the slushing system, and receives its supply of solvent from the solvent storage chamber above,

2,703,093 Patented Mar. 1, 1955 by way of a pipe connection 21,from the lower end of the storage chamber to the slushe tank. To provide for escape of air from said slush tank as the solvent flows into the same from the storage chamber, this slush tank is vented, and preferably to the solvent storage chamber, because such air will normally include some vapor, which should be retained in the system because of its high initial cost and its toxicity to human beings.

Accordingly, to permit of the venting of the slush tank into the solvent storage chamber, a pipe connection 23 is added which extends from the upper region of the slush tank to the upper portion of the solvent chamber. In this pipe connection, a three-way valve 25 is inserted, the connection utilizing two of the three controlled openings in such valve. The third and remaining controlled opening of the valve is connected to a source of compressed air (not shown) by a pipe connection 26. With the handle 27 of the valve in line with the vent connection, the air supply is blocked off, while with the handle swung through a degree anglejto bring it in line with the air supply connection, the opening into the solvent storage chamber is closed ofl". Thus with the air supply line blocked, the pipe connection from the slush tank to the upper end of the solvent storage chamber will be open for venting purposes, while in its other position of adjustment, the valve will open the vent line for the flow of compressed air to the slush tank.

A slush line emerging from the lower region of the slush tank, extends upwardly as "a pipe connection 29, to the upper end of the tank wall, where it is anchored, and continues within the tank as'aflexible hose line 31 which terminates in a slushing wand-:35.

In utilizing the above described slushing system for its intended purpose, the valve 27 is adjusted to the position which cuts off the compressed air supply and exposes the opening in the upper end of the solvent storage chamber for venting of the slush tank. Under these conditions, solvent, in its liquid form, will flow from the lower end of the solvent storage chamber to the slush tank below, causing said tank to fill and the solvent to rise in the vent pipe connection until it reaches the level of solvent in the storage chamber. With the slush'fgwand in hand, ready for use, the valve is shifted over to close the vent opening in the storage chamber and at the same time open the system to the source of compressed air. pressed air will thus enter the slushing tank and drive the solvent therefrom through the slush" line and wand. Reverse flow of solvent to the solvent storage chamber under the action of the compressed air, is blocked by a check valve 37 in the filling line 21.

Slushing is thus accomplished in the absence of any pump in direct contact with the solvent, and the problems connected with the use of a pump, as in coventional systems, are thereby avoided. The system, furthermore, is extremely simple and efficient. Accordingly, while I have disclosed my invention in its preferred form, the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles thereof, and while I have disclosed the same in considerable detail, I do not desire to be limited in my protection to such details, except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A slushing system for degreaser equipment involving a vapor tank, sa1d system comprising a solvent storage chamber, having a discharge opening, a slush tank, a fill connection from said storage chamber to said slush tank, a check valve in said connection, means for venting said slush tank, means for selectively forcing air under pressure through said vent means and into said slush tank, and a slus h line extending from said slush tank, said slush ilne including a pipe section from said slush tank to the upper end of said vapor tank and a hose line leadmg firom said pipe section and terminating in a slushing wan 2. A slushing system for degreaser equipment involving a vapor tank, said system comprising a solvent storage chamber, having a discharge opening in the lower portion thereof, a slush tank disposed below the solvent level in said storage chamber, a fill connection from the lower Such compgrtim of said" stgrage chamber to said slush tanfk, a References Cited in the file of this patent 0 cc va veinsai connection, a pipe connection rom v a v the upper portion of said slush tank to the upper portion UNITED STATES PATENTS of said storage chamber, a manually operable three-way 1,702,703 Osborne Feb. 19, 1929 valve in said last pipe connection having a third con- 5 1,836,373 Kadesch Dec. 15, 1931 trolled opening for connection thereto of acompresscd 2,554,389

airline, and a slushlineextending'from the lower end of 2,604,108 Considine July 22, 1952 saidslush. tank, said= slush line including a pipe section from said slushtanle to theupper'end ofsaid'vapor tank and a flexible hose-line leading; from said pipe section'and 10 terminatingin aslushingwand. 

